Climate change is in the air, with environmentalists in Siem Reap organising activities tomorrow as part of International Day of Climate Action, in conjunction with a worldwide group called 350.org.

The number refers to 350 parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, regarded by some scientists as the safe upper limit and which has already been exceeded.

Proceedings start tomorrow at 10:30am with the painting of 350 prayer flags at the Singing Tree Café.

At 2:30pm bicycle riders will assemble at Angkor Gyeoung Ju Park or the Angkor Wat ticket booth at 3pm, with 350 riders heading to the temple, where photographer John McDermott will take photographs to upload to the 350.org website.

The 350 day follows a meeting of more than 600 students, government officials, and NGOs in Siem Reap last Saturday to mark the International Day of Poverty Eradication under the theme of climate change.

Khim Lay, environment and energy cluster team leader, said he chose Siem Reap for the conference partly because of the recent flooding, which he attributed to climate change.

Sou Phirin, Siem Reap provincial governor, told delegates that Siem Reap had never experienced such floods before, but the floods were, “Only one thing resulting from climate change.”